anarchism 1.3 anarchist thinkers and their ideas Flashcards
1
Q
What are Max Stirner’s key ideas?
A
- the individual ‘ego’ must be placed above all else, and not limited or controlled
- the union of egoists is based on the conscious, self-interested will of each individual
2
Q
What is Stirner’s book called?
A
- The Ego and His Own
- he develops a comprehensive criticism of the state and existing society
- based on his view of human nature as one of autonomy, rationalism and self interest
3
Q
When was Stirner around?
A
1806-56
4
Q
What does Stirner believe about the ego?
A
- he underlines the unique individuality of each person, which should not be limited
- the ‘ego’ must be placed above all else and there must be an end to the control of our thoughts by existing societal institutions, such as church and morality
5
Q
What does Stirner reject about existing work?
A
- he believes it limits the ‘ego’ because it is not fulfilling and the individual cannot keep the full fruits of their labour
6
Q
What is the Union of Egoists?
A
- Stirner’s vision of the future is of a free society living in the interests of all individuals, based on voluntary agreements made as they serve the individuals own personal interest, not for the common good
7
Q
How will the Union of Egoists be achieved?
A
- through insurrection
- involves the individual becoming an egoist and withdrawing from capitalist labour and the state so that the state will decay and die
8
Q
When was Pierre-Joseph Proudhon around?
A
1809-65
9
Q
What are Proudhon’s key ideas?
A
- private property is exploitative and divisive
- mutualism is the economic basis of liberty
- change should be evolutionary, not revolutionary
10
Q
What is Proudhon’s book called?
A
- ‘What is Property?’
- it provides the bridge between individualism and collectivism in anarchism
11
Q
How does Proudhon view private property?
A
- he attacks the view of private property as exploitative and divisive, and at the heart of capitalism
12
Q
What is Proudhon’s view on the right to possession?
A
- endorses the right to possession, and the right for the individual to keep the full fruits of their labour, as a protection for the individual against the collective
13
Q
What is Proudhon’s view on mutualism?
A
- fits more closely with individualist anarchism
- the system of mutualism would be the economic basis of liberty; the political aspect would be based on federalism and decentralisation
14
Q
How does Proudhon want to get rid of the state?
A
- rejects the state as entirely without morality but makes the case for constructing the new society within the shell of the existing state
- anarchists should establish mutualist organisations
- evolutionary process will cause the state to die away rather than being overthrown in a revolutionary action
15
Q
When was Mikhail Bakunin around?
A
1814-76
16
Q
What are Bakunin’s key ideas?
A
- human nature as social
- propaganda by the deed
17
Q
How was Bakunin’s form of anarchism important?
A
- he was one of the most notorious radicals in history
- his form of radical, revolutionary anarchism was critical of capitalism, Marxism, the state and religion, and is the foundation of collectivist anarchism
18
Q
What was Bakunin’s view on human nature?
A
- human nature stressed rationality and individuality but argued that humans were, by their very nature, social beings who could not exist outside of society
- he argued that human beings are shaped by the society they live in = need to achieve liberty to explore full potential
- liberty can only be achieved by the rejection of the state and the authority of the church
19
Q
How does Bakunin view the economy?
A
- he calls for collectivisation
- involves the abolition of private property and its replacement with the collective ownership of the means of production, because liberty without equality is just privilege and injustice
20
Q
What did Bakunin reject?
A
- all traditional forms of parliamentary politics and all Marxist calls for capturing the state
21
Q
What is collectivisation?
A
- the abolition of private property and its replacement by a system of common ownership
22
Q
What did Bakunin argue?
A
- the masses had to free themselves, and this could only be achieved by the destruction of the state
23
Q
When was Peter Kropotkin around?
A
1842-1921
24
Q
What were Kropotkin key ideas?
A
- mutual aid
- education then revolution
- utopian
25
What did Kropotkin study?
- he adopted a scientific approach to his study of human nature and society, and used this to underpin his philosophy of anarchism
26
What strand is Kropotkin a key influence of?
- anarcho-communist
27
What is Kropotkin's book called?
- Mutual Aid
- he argues that in nature the survival of the fittest is a race between species, and mutual aid is the key factor for success
28
What is Kropotkin's view of human nature?
- argues that humans have always been co-operative and altruistic
29
What did Kropotkin oppose?
- the state and capitalism
- argued that if they were removed humans would act in line with their true nature of altruism
30
What would Kropotkin's future society look like?
- economically it would be based on communism where the means of production would be owned collectively
- each would work to their ability and receive according to their need
- communes would be voluntary and connected in federations based on direct democracy
- it would nurture altruism and would end private property and poverty and create a peaceful, harmonious society
31
When was Emma Goldman around?
1869-1940
32
What were Goldman's key ideas?
- state and violence
- opposition to parliamentary politics
33
Who did Goldman get some of her ideas from?
- drew ideas of Stirner in that she supported the autonomy of the individual
- also ideas from Kropotkin in her theory of social harmony
34
What did Goldman argue that governments relied on?
- violence
- focused her anger on patriotism and militarism
35
How is patriotism used by the state?
- to force obedience to the flag and state stir up divisions with others and fund a growing military to control the increasing discontent of the masses, both domestically and globally
36
What did she think about parliamentary politics?
- reformist and corrupting
